A man needs a sense of his own style, one that is a projection of his identity. Primarily, this means that your style needs to be congruent with your own life rather than a pretense. For example, if you are a mechanic, wearing suites is probably incongruent. A motorcycle jacket may be much more in line with your identity.

Similarly, if you are a wall street banker, you should probably not have long shaggy hair, have unkempt beard and look like you are from Hell's Angels. This is simply not congruent with your life.

The reason this is important is that you need to be comfortable in your attire and that will imbue confidence. If you feel out of place in your own clothes, you will feel under threat and that discomfort will be obvious to outsiders. This is also why you should always do your own shopping and don't let your LTR/plate buy clothes for you.

These are general guidelines and I have seen exceptions to the above but not all men can pull exceptions off. The key concept here is that your style is an expression of your identity.

This is why going the Mystery route of wearing a pouffy hat and black nail polish will fail for 99% of the guys. That's an expression of his identity, not yours. And this is also why you should not copy shit simply because it worked for someone else. Ask yourself who you are and express it in your clothing.

Clothing is also a very important expression of status. In the 15th and 16th century England, lace took off as a fashion. Lace then was very hard to clean and had to be hand-washed with great care or it would be ruined. Folks wearing lace every day were likely to be people who had servants who would do the washing for them. Indeed, folks associated with royalty wore lace made of gold threads. The poor did not have lace of any sort and the middle class had one or two outfits that they would wear on special occasions. When the industrial revolution made lace really cheap, it went out of fashion since it was no longer a status qualifier.

Always find clothes that fit you well and match your style. A&F may fit you well but may not be your style. CK may work but too expensive. Tommy Hilfiger may be one that works and is affordable. Always try it in the fitting room before buying. Women do this for a reason. Don't assume it fits because its the right size. Most men look bad because the clothes they buy don't hang well on their frame. Clothes need to be both the right size AND look good on you.

Historically grooming has always been a reflection of status. The most wretched of society could not afford to groom every day and the ones just above them would make every attempt to groom well so as not to be mistaken for a lower status. Having time to groom yourself regularly sends the message that you can afford the time and money for it. It shows that you have grown up in a household where you have been taught its importance. It also shows that you value hygiene. All of which are status qualifiers. i.e., you are not some trailer trash.

So as an example of good grooming: if you must wear a stubble, trim it down and shave your neck (unless neck hair is part of your identity). Your hair should be a reflection of you. Are you a CEO? Then leave your hair grey; no need to color it. The grey enhances your top dog identity. Are you balding? Fuck it, embrace your baldness and shave your head.